Supreme Court has ‘exposed’ Rahul Gandhi, says BJP

New Delhi: Latching onto the Supreme Court's ruling that Rahul Gandhi should express regret over his statement blaming RSS for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, BJP yesterday asked the Congress Vice President to apologise to the country for "defaming a nationalist organisation".

"Congress and its vice president Rahul Gandhi have been exposed. They spread lies to defame RSS. It is a slap on his face. He should not apologise to only RSS but also the country. It (RSS) is a nationalist organisation. Rahul and his party are notorious for glorifying terrorists and defaming nationalists," BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

RSS activist Rajesh Kunte had lodged a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi for having told an election rally in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district in 2014 that RSS was responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.

Hearing the matter, the Supreme Court today observed that the Congress leader should not have resorted to "collective denunciation" of an organisation and said he will have to face trial in the defamation case if he does not express regret.